By Mirvetk Tonuzi
Special to the Record-Transcript
Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts Theater Teacher and Middle School Drama Director Michele Rae-Dudley said choosing “The Lion King Jr.” for this year’s production was an easy decision.
“I just love it. I love the message it sends,” she said. “The Lion King has been running for 28 years nationally and internationally… the story is powerful.”
She said that its themes—ancestry, growth, resilience, and the idea that life continues on—felt especially meaningful for middle school students.
“We learn from our ancestors, and we respect them,” she said.
Producing a musical of this size required planning and teamwork.
“First of all, we hold at least three days of casting—singing, dancing, acting—and then callbacks,” she said.
Nearly 80 students auditioned from grades 6–8, including not only performing arts students but also fine arts, music, harp, and animation majors.
Alongside vocal director Chaance Barnes and dance director Jennifer Sweet, the team examined each student’s talents.
“We looked at each student’s strengths and tried to build a cast that made sense for the story,” Rae-Dudley said.
Rehearsals began in late September and continued almost daily, with several long Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. High school students supported the production backstage and even helped teach choreography.
“We had a Google Classroom, recorded dances, and broke into groups—everyone learned from each other. My stage manager was amazing,” she said.
Even with challenges typical for middle school—busy schedules, absences, communication gaps—she praised the cast’s commitment: “We had to stay flexible, but they cared, and they kept showing up,” she said.
Creatively, Rae-Dudley approached the show with both vision and practicality.
“We don’t have an in-house costume design class,” she said. “So I did research over the summer to find the best and most reasonably priced costumes.”
With professional costumes often costing $150–$200 each, discovering a local costumer was a major help. “Being local saved us so much money,” she added.
Students with past experience in earlier productions of “The Lion King” also contributed, giving the show a sense of continuity.
For Rae-Dudley, “The Lion King Jr.” became more than a school production; it became a source of unity and inspiration.
“It brought camaraderie between the middle school and high school students,” she said. “I saw positive relationships grow from them working together. It was a circle of life—just like the story.”
Opening night was made even more meaningful by the return of a Broadway alum and current professional stage
manager.
“It felt overwhelmingly wonderful,” she said. “The students got to see that their dreams can come true. If they have the passion, it can actually happen.”
Looking ahead, she hopes for growing community support: “I hope I can top ‘The Lion King Jr.,’ and I hope the community supports the arts more. Sports get all the attention—but the arts require thinking outside the box. They matter.”
After the curtain closed, several cast members talked about their roles, their nerves, and the excitement of bringing the production to life.
Jayden Simmons, 13, played Scar.
“I played Scar — Mufasa’s jealous cousin and one of the main characters,” Simmons said. “It felt really good because it showed me that I’m capable of doing things I never thought I could.”
Alyssa Exavier, 12, played Ed, the somewhat dim-witted hyena.
“I laughed really loud during tryouts and got picked,” Exavier said. “It felt good because this is my first show, and being one of the main characters was a goal I’ve had since sixth grade. The costume was itchy, but it matched my character perfectly.”
Andrew Guillaume, 12, was in the choir and danced.
“I played four animals —an elephant, a hyena, a wildebeest, and a lion,” Guillaume said. “With my singing and dancing skills, I think I have a really good capacity for acting. I was on stage a few times. The experience was kinda scary at first. I felt nervous, but then I realized I was doing good.”
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